Arcontech announces CityVision “Self Expression” contributions rules engine

08/09/2010

Arcontech announces CityVision “Self Expression” contributions rules engine

London, 7 September 2010.  Arcontech, the leading independent provider of market data contributions and real-time platform integration software, has announced “Self Expression”, a significant upgrade to its CityVision market data platform, with particular benefits for MVCS, its best of breed multiple vendor contribution platform.

CityVision Self Expression is a flexible, user programmable rules engine which controls and transforms data as it passes from various sources to various destinations.  It performs on-the-fly calculations in real-time, including data sanity checking and can withdraw, change or qualify data output depending on the results.

Calculations and validations are defined in a new simple-to-use windows interface, using functions, operators and syntax similar to those used in Microsoft Excel. Using Self Expression users can, for example, define rules to calculate mid prices from bid and ask, check and raise alerts for unusually large price movements compared against the price history. CityVision Self Expression can also produce different sets of tradable prices for different outputs.  This is useful, for example, to produce different buy and sell prices for clients, trading partners or venues with different credit ratings or trading conditions.

Time-out rules and actions can be defined so, for example, data can be monitored to check that it updates sufficiently frequently during the normal trading day and to prevent updates out of hours

Users can assign different levels of importance to various validation failures, which are reflected by status colouring in the GUI.  Integration with automated monitoring systems is supported by output to log files with user defined logging levels. Errors are also reported in real time on the status feed which is available across the CityVision platform and accessible via displays, the API and could even be published onto Thomson Reuters RMDS.

Andrew Miller, Managing Director of Arcontech commented: “The Self-Expression idea started with client requests for simple, specific calculations and validations.  We soon realised that requirements differed greatly between installations and so embarked on this major development, aimed at giving end-users fine, dynamic and flexible control of data in transit.”

CityVision Self Expression is in Beta test and is scheduled for Q4 release.

Notes for Editors

About Arcontech Group Plc

Arcontech Group Plc’s (AIM: ARC) key trading subsidiary is Arcontech Limited.
Founded in 1979, Arcontech is real-time software specialist providing products and bespoke systems for collection, processing, distribution and presentation of time-sensitive financial markets data.
Arcontech is independent of any data vendor (such as Thomson Reuters or Bloomberg) and has thrived due to timely delivery of dependable, cost-effective solutions to the financial community based on its award winning CityVision product suite.  Its diverse clients range from National Government, Banks and Data Vendors through to Internet Bookmakers.
Arcontech installed its first digital market data products in 1983 and has continually developed new, innovative systems and products, adopting leading edge technology, proven in the marketplace.
Arcontech has experience of a wide range of technical concepts and applications and the ability to combine the best from each. Key areas of expertise include:

• Real-time market data systems
• Multi vendor data contribution
• Contracts for difference trading and spread betting systems
• Real-time data collection and distribution
• Consulting and custom development

CityVision

CityVision supports collection, aggregation and redistribution of market data in real-time from multiple sources to multiple destinations. Sources can include exchanges, MTFs (Multi-lateral Trading Facilities in MiFID speak) and data contributions from the spreadsheets and trading systems of the pan-European investment banking community.  Destinations include multiple vendor contributions, dealing desk displays, Microsoft Excel, real-time streaming web updates and on-line trading applications.

CityVision continued.
CityVision is fast, flexible, fully resilient, scalable and secure, with a full authentication and entitlements system. The system is extensible to receive instruments in any asset class, from hundreds of contributors and to provide controlled re-distribution.
CityVision can interoperate with other systems (such as Thomson Reuters RMDS and exchanges) via existing de-facto standards (such as Market link SSL and FIX) and via its own comprehensive APIs. This means it can provide cost effective solutions to add value to or replace incumbent systems.

AXE
Arcontech’s AXE is a complete system for on-line and telephone based Contracts for Difference (CFD) trading and spread betting. It is a fully featured product using our award winning CityVision components, combined with proven customer, deal, order and position management software.  It’s fast and resilient with automatic recovery from server and/or network failure and instant failover to contingency systems. Support for multiple currencies, different languages and graphics re-skinning mean it can be deployed quickly to suit customers’ own branding without the need for costly custom building – meaning customers can get to market fast.

Contacts
Andrew Miller – 020 7256 2300
Sarah Wisbey – 020 7562 7486
sarah@arcontech.com